THIS WEEK IN SPARTA

LANGLEY, British Columbia – It’s play-off time for This Week in Sparta. Men’s and women’s volleyball are hosting the Canada West quarter finals, women’s rugby is hosting the final Canada West matches of the season, and men’s and women’s track and field are on the road at the Canada West championship. While men’s rugby is overseas in England.
 
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WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Thursday, February 22 vs Alberta Pandas, Langley, B.C.
5 p.m. (PT) – Langley Events Centre | WATCH
Friday, February 23 vs Alberta Pandas, Langley, B.C.
5 p.m. (PT) – Langley Events Centre | WATCH
Saturday, February 24 vs Alberta Pandas, Langley, B.C. -If Necessary
TBA. (PT) – Langley Events Centre | WATCH

NOTABLE

• No. 6 TWU finished Canada West conference play at 19-5 to finish fourth in Canada West, while Alberta finished at 18-6 to place fifth.
• Last week the Spartans split with the Calgary Dinos at the Jack Simpson Gym in Calgary, Alta. TWU lost 3-2 on Friday night and won 3-1 on Saturday.
• Last week Alberta split with the UFV Cascades wining 3-1 on Friday night and losing 3-1 on Saturday night at the UFV Athletics Centre in Abbotsford, B.C.
• The Spartans are 30-44 lifetime against the Pandas.
• The last time the Spartans and Pandas met in the post-season was March 19, 2022. TWU defeated Alberta 3-1 to win the 2022 Canada West championship in Edmonton, Alta.
• TWU has currently 7-3 in their last 10 CW conference and play-off games against Alberta.

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MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Thursday, February 22 vs Brandon Bobcats, Langley, B.C.
7 p.m. (PT) – Langley Events Centre | WATCH
Friday, February 23 vs Brandon Bobcats, Langley, B.C.
7 p.m. (PT) – Langley Events Centre | WATCH
Saturday, February 24 vs Brandon Bobcats, Langley, B.C.- If Necessary
TBA. (PT) – Langley Events Centre | WATCH
 
NOTABLE

• No. 7 TWU finished Canada West conference play at 16-8 to finish third in Canada West, while Brandon finished at 7-15 to place sixth.
• Last week the Spartans swept with the Calgary Dinos at the Jack Simpson Gym in Calgary, Alta. TWU won 3-0 on Friday night and won 3-1 on Saturday.
• Last week Brandon split with the UBC Thunderbirds wining 3-2 on Friday night and losing 3-2 on Saturday night at War Memorial Gym in Vancouver, B.C.
• The Spartans are 31-16 lifetime against the Bobcats.
• The last time the Spartans and Bobcats met in the post-season was February 23-24, 2023 at the Langley Events Centre.  TWU defeated Brandon 2-0 in the best of three series winning 3-1, and 3-0. In the Canada West quarter finals.
• Their last meeting was January 19-20 at the Langley Events Centre. The Spartans and Bobcats split the series. TWU won 3-1 on Friday and lost 3-2 in the Saturday match.
• This is the fifth straight year that TWU and Brandon have met in the post season.

 
WOMEN’S RUGBY
CW Rugby 7’s Series at the Willoughby Community Park Stadium
10:44 a.m. (PT) Friday, February 23 vs Lethbridge Pronghorns, Langley, B.C.
12:44 p.m. (PT) Friday, February 23 vs Calgary Dinos, Langley, B.C.
2:44 p.m. (PT) Friday, February 23 vs UBC Thunderbirds, Langley, B.C.
10:00 a.m. (PT) Saturday, February 24 vs Victoria Vikes, Langley, B.C.
1:00 p.m. (PT) Saturday, February 24 vs Alberta Pandas, Langley, B.C.

NOTABLE

• Due to weather issues TWU was unable to attend the first tournament in Edmonton, Alta. January 20-21.
• The Spartans finished third at 3-2 at the February 9-10 tournament in Vancouver, B.C.
• TWU’s Danika Dool (Chilliwack, B.C), and Ava Van Santen (Abbotsford, B.C.) were named to the tournament Dream Team.
• This is the final tournament of the 2024 season.

 
AWAY
 
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Canada West Championships – Hosted by UFV Cascades
Thursday, February 21 vs UBC Okanagan Heat, Abbotsford, B.C.
8 p.m. (PT) – UFV Athletics Centre | WATCH
Friday, February 22 vs Saskatchewan Huskies, Abbotsford, B.C. (if TWU advances)
8 p.m. (PT) – UFV Athletics Centre | WATCH
Saturday, February 23 vs TBA, Abbotsford, B.C. (if TWU advances)
8 p.m. (PT) – UFV Athletics Centre | WATCH
Sunday, February 24 vs TBA, Abbotsford, B.C. (if TWU advances)
TBA (PT) – UFV Athletics Centre | WATCH
 
NOTABLE

• No. 8 TWU finished at 12-8 in Canada West, while No. 9 UBC Okanagan is 11-9.
• TWU is 19-5 lifetime against UBC-O.
• Trinity Western will rely on defence to prevail in all 12 of their wins in 2023-24, the Spartans held the opposition to 65 or fewer points. UBC Okanagan just set a program record for most Canada West regular season wins, and now look to win a playoff game for the first time since joining the conference.
• The Heat are the hotter team coming into this match-up, going 7-5 since the semester break, while Trinity Western is 4-8 in that span. This is the first ever Canada West postseason meeting between UBCO and the Spartans, who have not played each other since January of 2023.
• TWU is led by CW second-team all-star fourth year guard Jayden Gill (Abbotsford, B.C.), while UBC O is led by CW second-team all-star fourth year forward Jaeli Ibbetson.
• Awaiting the victorious team will be the No. 1 Saskatchewan Huskies who are looking to get back on top after having its run of consecutive championships ended last year with an upset loss to Alberta in the semifinals. Saskatchewan spent four weeks this season ranked No. 1 in U SPORTS. 

 
TRACK & FIELD
Friday-Saturday, February 23-24 at Canada West Championship
All-Day (PT) – Universiade Pavilion, Edmonton, Alta. | WATCH

NOTABLE

• The Spartan men enter the championship ranked No. 9 in U SPORTS.
• U SPORTS championships are March 7-9 in Winnipeg, Man.

MEN’S RUGBY
England Tour
Wednesday, February 21 at Cambridge University, Cambridge, England
7:30 p.m.  – Grange Rugby Ground
Saturday, February 24 at Bristol University, Bristol, England
2 p.m.– Bristol

NOTABLE

• These two matches are part of TWU’s tour of England.
• The Spartans return to league action Saturday, March 16 at the Pacific Pride at Starlight Stadium in Langford, B.C.

About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women’s and men’s soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country, and track & field, as well as women’s rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men’s rugby, as well as women’s and men’s disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 13 U SPORTS team championships and 32 Canada West team championships.
 
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